Way Off The Mark
by ShootingTigers
Summary: It all started with a simple weapons training exercise.


"Squeeze the trigger," Connor explained as they walked through the Ops room. "Never pull - nothing good happens when you pull."

Emily grinned. "Speaking from experience, are we?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"Abby told you about that, did she?"

"Every detail." She thought for a moment. "Excluding whatever transpired when she was unconscious," she added with a smirk.

He rolled his eyes. "It was my first time and it's not like I meant to shoot her," he contested as they entered the corridor. He sighed. "Anyway, do you have any questions?"

She frowned. "What is this switch?" she asked, pointing to the side of the weapon she was currently holding.

"The safety lock," he replied. "Here, let me show you." Connor reached over and flicked the switch in the opposite direction. "There," he said. "That makes it go off without a hitch." He watched her eyebrows crease and he had a feeling he was in for another question.

He was right.

"What is the significance of this small cylinder?" she asked, indicating the cartridge at the top of the gun.

"It's the snoozy juice." Emily's face became the picture of puzzlement. "The tranquilizer for the creature," he clarified. "This gun doesn't shoot bullets or EMD blasts. It's specialized to - "

"Shoot the medicine," Emily finished thoughtfully.

Connor nodded. "Exactly," he said. He sensed her uncertainty and continued. "This is a small creature compared to what you're used to," he reassured her. "We just need to tranq it, so Abby can look it over for injury." He stopped suddenly, causing her to do the same, and turned to face her. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked.

"Yes."

"You don't have to. I've done this plenty of times and I'm more than capable of - "

"Shooting Abby?" Emily interrupted, trying to conceal a grin.

Connor's voice took on a frustrated tone. "I didn't mean to shoot her, I - " he stopped and calmed himself down, his hands in the surrender position. "I'm just saying that you don't have to," he repeated. "If you're scared, I can just - "

Emily glared at him, offended by his insinuation. "I'm not scared," she said indignantly.

"Scared of what?" Abby asked as she appeared beside Connor, making them both jump.

Emily was the first to recover from her surprise. "Connor was showing me how this gun works," she said as she held the weapon up to Abby. "We're going to the menagerie and I'm going to tranquilize a creature for you."

"The Troodon?" Abby asked.

Emily glanced at Connor and nodded when he did. "Yes," she said as she looked back at Abby. "I believe that's what the creature is called."

"Connor!" Abby exclaimed as she observed the weapon her friend was holding. "What were you thinking?"

Connor blinked. "That Emily was going to tranquilize the creature," he replied slowly.

"She could have been seriously injured," Abby continued. "You need to be more careful!"

Emily looked at Connor in confusion and then back at Abby. "What's the matter?" she asked.

"Look here," Abby said as she pointed to the cylinder. "The dosage is wrong."

Connor's mouth fell open. "The dosage isn't wrong," he retorted.

"Yes, it is!"

"No, it isn't!"

Abby rolled her eyes. "This dosage isn't enough even for a juvenille Troodon, Connor! It could still do a lot of damage if this was all you were going to use," she snapped.

"It's just a Troodon," he snapped back. "The thing is only three feet tall - if that!"

"Yeah, I know what it looks like."

"So, you should know that this is more than enough tranquilizer to bring it down!"

* * *

><p>Becker sat at the desk beside the ADD, his finger on his earpiece, desperately trying to end his conversation with Matt. When Connor and Emily walked by him, he noticed the weapon in her hand. A weapon that she of all people should not be waving around the Ops room. Come to think of it, the idea of Connor wielding that particular gun was concerning. The tech didn't exactly have a reputation of being a good shot with a tranquilizer gun - if Abby's stories held any semblance of truth.<p>

And Becker knew for a fact that Connor hadn't completed his training for that weapon. Yet there he was, gallivanting around the ARC, showing a woman from a different time period how to use a gun that he himself shouldn't even be allowed to use. That was just an accident waiting to happen - an accident that Becker was determined to prevent. His concern was heightened when he heard raised voices echoing from the corridor into which Connor and Emily had just disappeared.

"Has the anomaly closed, Matt?"

_Not yet, but the creatures have all been sent through. We had to - _

"That's great," Becker said absently, his eyes fixed on the corridor. His concern peaked when Jess, who had heard the commotion as well, muttered a soft _damn_ under her breath. She locked her keyboard and left her chair, determinedly making her way toward the noise. The last thing he wanted was for Jess to get in the way of an argument where a gun was being mishandled.

Becker stood up from his desk. "Do you need any back up?" he asked Matt, paying less attention to the conversation than before.

_What are you - no. The creatures have already been sent -_

"Great." He tapped his iPad a couple of times and started to follow Jess. "What's your ETA?"

_Are you alright, mate? You seem distracted._

"Great," he replied.

_I haven't even given you a time! What are you -_

"Jess, be careful!" Becker shouted after her as she walked through the doors.

"It's okay," she called back through the closing doors. "I lived with them for quite some time. I know a thing or two about diffusing their arguments."

_Becker, is everything okay there?_

"Yep, fine. Got to go." Becker tapped his earpiece, effectively silencing Matt. "No, Jessica, I mean the gun!" he called, but she was already half way down the corridor and too close to their shouting colleagues to hear him properly.

Becker ran after her.

When Jess reached the corner, he was right on her heels.

* * *

><p>Emily awkwardly stepped to one side as Abby and Connor closed in on each other, their voices growing louder with each passing word. She briefly considered trying to stop their argument, but decided it would be safer to just wait it out. After a few moments, she heard the distant clicking of heels and she knew her waiting was over.<p>

"What's going - "

"What the hell is going on here?"

Emily bit back a smirk when Becker rounded the corner after Jess. It shouldn't have come as a surprise, really. The two of them had been virtually inseparable after the whole end-of-the-world incident. Ironically enough, this perpetual state of togetherness was initiated by Becker. Wherever Jess was, he was never far behind.

"Becker," Jess scolded as they got closer to the others. "More yelling isn't going to help the situation."

"Unless you do it right," he muttered as he started to move toward Abby and Connor.

Jess latched on to his arm. "Becker, don't!" she pleaded as she tried to keep him from advancing. She bent her legs, putting most of her weight into her feet, and all but hung from his elbow - yet he was completely unphased by her attempts to stop him. He strode toward the arguing couple, dragging Jess alongside him.

Becker took a breath and whistled loudly. "Temples!" he yelled, the combination of the piercing high pitched noise and the stern tone of his voice causing the pair to jump apart and stare at him wide eyed.

"Are you two okay?" Jess asked, moving around Becker to see them properly. "We could hear you from Ops."

"You'd better have a good reason for making us come down here," Becker growled. "And for being anywhere near that gun," he added without looking away from Connor.

Connor swallowed. "I was taking Emily to the menagerie to tranquilize a creature," he started, only to be cut off by the very annoyed Head of Security.

"Is it loaded?" Becker arched an eyebrow when Connor didn't respond. "Is that gun loaded?" he tried again, enunciating each word.

Connor winced. "Yeah," he replied pathetically.

"With the wrong dosage," Abby added under her breath.

Connor heard her. "For the last time - "

Jess clapped her hands. "Stop shouting," she said firmly as everyone turned toward her. "Now, why were they arguing?" she asked Emily gently.

Emily pursed her lips. "From what I understand, they were arguing over the tranquilizer dosage." She frowned. "It seems it may not be enough."

"It's definitely not enough," Abby said resolutely.

Connor groaned. "Yes, it is!" he yelled.

* * *

><p>Lester sighed and dropped the report he was working on. Honestly, how was anyone meant to focus with all of that racket?<p>

"They're fired," he muttered as he marched out of his office.

He strode down the corridor and rounded the corner. He was promptly met with the sight of Connor, Abby, Emily, Becker, and Jess engaging in some form of debate.

"All of them," he added as he straightened his tie. "Fired beyond all recognition and exiled - if I can pull the correct strings."

* * *

><p>"I'll prove it," Connor shouted. "Have a look at - "<p>

"What is all this commotion?" Lester called as he headed for the group.

Connor grinned. "Lester," he declared thankfully. "You're a wise man," he said as he reached for the gun that Emily was holding. "You can settle this debate for us."

Lester rolled his eyes. "They don't pay me enough for this," he mumbled as he made his way over to Connor.

"Have a look at this and tell me what you think," Connor instructed as he pulled the gun forward in an attempt to show his boss the tranquilizer dosage.

"You're wasting his time, Connor!"

"Temple, don't touch that gun!"

"Becker, stop shouting!"

Emily couldn't release her grip in time and gasped when a muted shot rang out.

"Stop talking, all of y - " Lester was cut off in full flow.

Everyone froze.

Lester stood with a slightly confused expression on his face for a second and then looked down to the feather of the dart sticking out of his thigh. "Oh bloody great," he muttered as his leg gave way. He fell to one knee, clutching his thigh as he glared up at Emily. "You shot me!"

Emily looked horrified. "I'm so - "

"You shot me in the leg!"

"I'm so sorry."

"I have a shapely leg and you shot it!"

"I'm...sorry?"

"You have a shapely leg and you shot me with it!"

Emily frowned and turned to the others who were all looking equally confused.

"You have a shot of leg...with shapes..."

Abby gasped. "Oh," she whispered. She turned to the others. "The sedative is working," she explained. "It won't kill him, but it's enough to make him significantly..."

"Blissed out?" Connor supplied.

Abby nodded. "Pretty much."

Connor laughed. "This is everything I never knew I wanted," he said.

"You're terrible," Jess scolded. "Poor Lester, we need to get him to the medical bay."

Becker knelt down and pulled Lester to his feet. "Sir?" he asked, trying to make eye contact.

"Her shapes...shot me in the leg..."

Becker slapped him across the face. "Snap out of it, Sir!" he ordered.

Lester gaped at him. "You hit me!"

"I'm sorry, Sir, but - "

"You hit me in the face!"

Becker rolled his eyes, knowing full well where this was going. "Yes, Sir, I did."

"I have a handsome face."

"Yes, Sir." Becker pursed his lips. "It's lovely," he replied sarcastically.

Jess pushed Becker out of the way, glaring at him as she did so. "You'll be alright," she assured Lester as she lifted his arm and draped it over her shoulder. "I'm going to take you to the medical bay and the nice doctor will get you all fixed up."

Lester pointed to Becker. "He has a handsome face..."

Jess did her best to hide a smile. "Yes, he does."

"...but mine's better."

"Of course it is."

Lester leant forward slightly. "He's my friend," he said conspiratorially.

"That's nice."

Lester grinned. "I know a secret," he confided.

"Oh?"

Lester giggled a bit. "My friend fancies you," he said.

Jess blushed and was about to inquire further when Becker interrupted. "Okay," he said as he appeared on the opposite side of Lester. "I think now is a good time to get you to the medical bay." He draped the other arm over his shoulder. "Ready, Jess?" he asked, pretending that his feelings weren't just blatantly expressed by his boss.

"I - yeah," Jess replied. She smiled nervously and tried to forget what Lester had told her. "On the count of three?" she asked.

Becker nodded. "One."

"Two."

Lester moaned. "I'm dizzy," he whined as he bent his knees just enough to cause Becker and Jess to stumble under the added weight. "Can we stop for a second?" he asked as he straightened his legs again.

"We haven't even started moving," Becker muttered to Jess.

Jess shushed him. "Of course we can," she said. "Just let us know when you're ready."

Lester nodded and took a deep breath before speaking. "Becker," he said weakly.

"Yes, Sir?"

"Come here."

Becker frowned. "I am here, Sir."

"Come lower."

"Lower, Sir?"

"I need to tell you something," Lester whispered.

Becker rolled his eyes. "Sir, you can tell me from right here."

"You're too high."

"Not as high as you are, Sir."

Jess reached over and punched Becker's chest with her free hand. "Becker will gladly lean down for you," she told Lester without looking away from Becker.

Becker sighed and bent his head, so he was at eye level with his boss. "What is it, Sir?" he asked.

Lester smirked. "You're welcome," he said as he tightened his hold on Becker and Jess. He brought his hands up, gripped the back of their heads, and pushed their faces together. Their lips met and he stumbled backwards to admire his handiwork, leering and nodding like an idiot. He excitedly pointed it out to the others, as if the scene in front of them needed highlighting.

* * *

><p>Jess didn't know what to do. She knew what she <em>wanted<em> to do - it was so tempting. Their lips were already touching, so all she had to do was tilt her head and she would be kissing Becker properly. Oh, how she would love to do that. She couldn't, though. He didn't want this. She had to pull away.

Becker could've killed Lester. In fact, he was going to the moment he was through kissing Jess. Wait - he was _kissing_ Jess. Sort of. It wasn't a proper kiss, but the instant their lips touched, he knew he wanted it to be. He wanted this...her..._them_. And there was only one way to find out if she felt the same.

* * *

><p>Jess was just about to pull away when something unexpected happened: Becker stepped forward. Not only did he step forward, but he rested his hands on her hips and drew her closer to him. She gripped the hemline of her dress and twisted the fabric in her hands nervously, unsure of how to respond - or rather, unsure of how <em>he<em> would respond to the very enthusiastic response that she was holding back.

She felt his hands cover hers, the warm pressure soothing her doubt away. His hands traveled along her wrists, his fingers stroking the bare skin of her arms as they made their way over her shoulders. He took her face in his hands and brushed his thumb over her cheek before he pulled away, his lips remaining tantalizingly close to hers.

"Jessica," he whispered.

She smiled, soft and slow.

Then he was kissing her without any hesitation. She wrapped her arms around his neck and wasted no time sliding her fingers into that hair of his, determined to see if it was actually as lovely as she had imagined.

It was.

Jess pushed herself up onto her toes, eagerly running her fingers through every bit of hair she could reach. He moaned against her mouth as he slowly dragged his hands back to her waist. He tightened his grip on her and was rewarded with a small gasp when he lifted her off the ground. She pointed her toes down to try and touch the floor, but she ended up balancing on the tip of his combat boots.

Becker pulled back enough to smile at her. Their eyes met and she barely had time to return the smile before his lips were on hers again, firm and demanding. His tongue traced the seam of her lips and she sighed as she parted them. Her fingernails caressed the nape of his neck as he licked into her mouth, sending them both into such a haze of pleasure that they became oblivious to their surroundings.

Their surroundings, however, were very much aware of them.

* * *

><p>Connor stared at them wide eyed, grinning like a fool. "Yes," he whispered as he clenched his fist and brought his elbow down in elation. He raised his hand and turned to Abby to request a high five, their previous argument completely forgotten.<p>

Abby exchanged a knowing look with Emily before she noticed his hand. She promptly met it with hers, giggling at the confused expression on Emily's face. It would seem the Victorian woman still hadn't quite worked out the purpose of the gesture.

Lester cleared his throat and waited until all three of them were looking his way. "I wasn't dizzy," he announced proudly. "I made it up," he continued, beaming as he tried to take a bow. He lost his balance and fell flat on his face.

Emily gasped. "Lester," she squeaked as she bent down and pushed him into a sitting position.

"The floor hit me!"

Connor snorted. "At least it hit your face this time," he replied. "Six inches to the left and that dart would have hit your - "

"Connor!" Abby gave him a warning look as she knelt down beside Emily. "Grab his other arm," she instructed. "We should get going before my spouse gets us fired."

Lester looked down at the dart, counting aloud as he made a muddled calculation. "The Lester family jewels," he whispered in alarm.

"And we're off to the medical bay!" Abby said a little too loudly, desperately trying to derail the topic of conversation and get Lester to his feet. Emily pulled on his other arm and within moments, their boss was standing between them. They began easing their way down the corridor with Connor happily strolling alongside them.

Emily glanced back at Becker and Jess who were still in the midst of kissing, blissfully unaware of their departure. She smiled to herself. "It's good that we're giving them some privacy," she said. "I felt like we were intruding on an intimate moment."

"I can't believe Action Man finally did it," Connor replied giddily.

"Captain Becker just kissed a girl," Lester added with equal fervor. "Of the _opposite sex_."

Abby snorted. "Thank god for that," she said. "Those two have been dancing around each other for far too long - happiness really isn't that difficult."

Lester heaved a big sigh. "I was happy once," he said solemnly.

Connor laughed in surprise. "Just the once? What happened?" he asked.

"I got shot in the leg and _then_ the floor hit me in the face."

Emily winced. "I'm really sorry about - "

"That floor just doesn't know when to stop," he continued angrily. "First my leg and now my face - it's out of control."

Emily grinned, realizing she was off the hook. "Yes," she said thoughtfully. "Completely out of control."

"You just can't trust floors nowadays," Connor added.

Lester nodded. "Quite right," he replied as they rounded the corner. "I want it torn up and disposed of immediately."

Connor's face lit up and he turned to Abby with a child-like grin. "Can we - "

"No."

* * *

><p>Becker and Jess only parted when their need for air became too great. He pressed a light kiss on her forehead before he pulled her into a gentle hug. She snuggled against his chest and happily rested her head on his shoulder as they both tried to catch their breath. Her eyes settled on the space in front of her and she frowned. She glanced up and down the corridor, her frown deepening as she did so. Jess leant back, so she could see Becker properly.<p>

"Where is everyone?" she breathed.

His eyes followed the length of the corridor before snapping back to hers. She swallowed, her stomach fluttering under the intensity of his gaze. He bent his head and she could feel the heat from his breath on her cheeks. He smirked and her entire system throbbed with anticipation.

"Who cares?" he replied thickly.

And as his lips slowly brushed over hers, Jess decided that she most certainly did not.

* * *

><p>The next day, Lester called the team into his office - the part of the team that witnessed his embarrassing behavior, that is. Connor, Abby, and Emily hesitantly entered the room, well aware of the reason for this meeting. Meanwhile, Becker and Jess sauntered in after them, wearing matching grins that they tried in vain to conceal.<p>

Lester narrowed his eyes at the group. "I do not intend to report or punish anyone for yesterday's...incident," he began. "A report would be difficult anyway, considering that I can't remember the fine details." He gave Connor a withering look before turning his attention to the women standing beside him. "I understand I have you to thank for getting me to the medical bay as Captain Becker was indisposed." He glanced at the Head of Security, trying his best to look annoyed.

Becker's eyes flicked to Jess before he looked at his feet. She did the same and, once again, their poorly concealed smiles were on full show.

Lester rolled his eyes, determined to keep his expression passive. "Be that as it may," he continued. "I feel I should remind you that you are all bound by the Official Secrets Act and I am ordering you not to repeat a word of what happened yesterday to anyone." He placed his hands on his desk and leant toward the group, his features set on maximum intimidation. "If you fail to comply, it will be pistols at dawn. And only one pistol will be loaded. And to save any confusion, the loaded pistol will be mine." He tipped his head slightly. "Do I make myself understood?"

Connor nodded. "We forget it ever happened and you'll challenge anyone who blabs to a jewel." His eyes widened in panic. "_Duel_," he amended. "I meant duel."

Abby elbowed him in the ribs. "Connor," she scolded.

Becker frowned and looked at Jess for clarification, only to be met with a shrug of her shoulders.

Lester thought for a moment, wincing as an unwanted memory surfaced. He plopped unceremoniously onto his chair and dragged his hand over his face. The room fell into an uncomfortable silence that no one was willing to break. When Lester finally managed to find his voice, the entire ARC knew it.

"You are all dismissed!"


End file.
